Disgraced rugby league star Mitchell Pearce has returned to social media for the first time since the emergence of a humiliating video which caused his entire life to unravel.

Pearce is serving an eight week playing ban after returning from rehab but social media photos show the Sydney Roosters halfback looking happier and healthier than ever.

The photos of a happy Pearce come as his team, the Sydney Roosters, was thumped 42 - 10 by arch rivals, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Allianz Stadum on Sunday.

The NSW halfback has shown incredible resilience since footage of him simulating sex with a dog on Australia Day night came to light. He has promised to confront his demons and cop any punishment deemed necessary by the NRL.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old watched from the sidelines as his team took to the field for round one against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

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A fan shared an image of herself with Mitchell Pearce on Balmoral Beach on Sunday

Just hours later he watched his team, the Sydney Roosters, play their first game of the year and shared an Instagram photo

Disgraced rugby league star Mitchell Pearce has been banned by the NRL for eight weeks and fined $125,000

Pearce entered a rehabilitation in Thailand last month after he was filmed pretending to have sex with a dog while drunk at a party on Australia Day

His eastern suburbs side suffered a dismal defeat but the Pearce was all smiles, sharing a photo of himself with teammates in team colours and describing his gratitude to fans.

'Nice to be back with my mates,' he wrote to caption the photo of himself with Boyd Cordner, James Warea-Hargreaves and player-turned-commentator Brad Fittler.

On Sunday morning he was also photographed with a fan on Balmoral Beach in Sydney's north, enjoying the glorious Autumn sunshine.

Pictured just days after returning from a month-long stint in rehab in Thailand, the talented player looked tanned, relaxed and fit - an image of health.

It comes after the news Pearce has been banned by the NRL for eight weeks and fined $125,000.

Speculation had varied on what length of a ban the Sydney Roosters star would get after a video emerged of him pretending to have sex with a dog while he was drunk on Australia Day.

His club had hoped for a four-to-six week ban, while others had asked for a more severe punishment of at least 12 weeks. The final decision looked to be a compromise between the two.

Earlier this week he was stripped of the Sydney Roosters co-captaincy and suspended from their leadership group.

Exactly a week ago, Pearce returned to Australia and spoke out after spending a month in a rehabilitation centre in Thailand.

Pearce, 26, jetted out of the country last month, and the player's parents, Wayne and Terri, met their son when he arrived at Sydney Airport on Sunday morning.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Pearce said the past four weeks have been 'challenging', after he 'humiliated' himself last month.